Wednesday, May 27, 2020

Sneak Preview - Painting US Airborne in Miniature: 1942-1945

What follows is the introduction to an article I am preparing, and may preview in part or whole here, before I release it in toto. If you're following along, your feedback is welcome.


Painting U.S Airborne Miniatures, 1942-1945
A Guide for miniatures in all scales.



I.       Purpose

I have seen the question “what color should I paint my...” appear many times online in modeling and gaming groups.  My purpose is to provide a painter/modeler with the background to make their own choices in creating something that is correct for their shelf or tabletop. Well intentioned people with great research skills and personal knowledge will argue passionately about what is historically appropriate (without reaching agreement). At the end of the day, you and your friends will be the judge of what is accurate for your gaming/modeling universe. I hope this proves useful in providing historical and technical background that allows you to make the choices that satisfy your modeling/gaming needs.

II.     Introduction & History

The United States’ experimentation with Airborne combat began officially on 25 June, 1940, as the French were signing the instrument of surrender in a rail car in Compiegne. On that day, the Commandant at Fort Benning, GA received classified orders from the Adjutant General in Washington. He was to provide from the 29th Infantry Regiment stationed at Fort Benning, a platoon of volunteers. From this Test Platoon, the story of the US Airborne begins. By September of that year, the 501st Parachute Battalion was formed. By June 5th, 1944, U.S. Airborne forces had expanded to five full Airborne Divisions.

III.  PIR: Regiments, Timelines and Variations

Over the course of 4 years, the US Airborne went through many TO&E changes. Regiments added and removed, basic uniforms and equipment updated. This occurred at different times for different regiments, and does not include significant individual differences between units. There is never a single answer to “what did they wear”; it is always affected by what regiment (and in some cases, battalion), when and where. The lists below reflect the typical organization in theater, with exceptions as noted. The specifics of each uniform variant are discussed in section IV.

Rgt/ Btn
Division
Activated
Campaigns / Battles
Basic Uniform
Notes
Parachute
501
101st Airborne Division
11/42
OVERLORD France, MARKET-GARDEN Holland, Belgium, Germany
6/44 - 8/44 M42 (Reinforced); 9/44-5/45 M43 (rigger modified)
Reinforced Knees, elbows, pockets in OD #7. Flag brassard on right shoulder through MARKET-GARDEN. Regt symbols on helmets
Parachute
502
101st Airborne Division
3/42
OVERLORD France, MARKET-GARDEN Holland, Belgium, Germany
6/44 - 8/44 M42 (Reinforced); 9/44-5/45 M43 (rigger modified)
Reinforced Knees, elbows, pockets in OD #7. Flag brassard on right shoulder through MARKET-GARDEN. Regt symbols on helmets
Parachute
503
None - Not Assigned
2/42
New Guinea, Phillipines
M42 (un-reinforced)
There are pics of 503 in HBT coveralls, but no company models that.
Parachute
504
82nd Airborne Division
2/42
TORCH North Africa, HUSKY Sicily, Italy, MARKET-GARDEN Holland, France, Belgium, Germany
6/44 - 8/44 M42; 9/44-5/45 M43 (rigger modified)
Flag brassard on right shoulder through MARKET-GARDEN.
Parachute
505
82nd Airborne Division
7/42
HUSKY Sicily, Italy, OVERLORD France, MARKET-GARDEN Holland, Belgium, Germany
6/44 - 8/44 M42; 9/44-5/45 M43 (rigger modified)
Flag brassard on right shoulder through MARKET-GARDEN.
Parachute
506
101st Airborne Division
7/42
OVERLORD France, MARKET-GARDEN Holland, Belgium, Germany
6/44 - 8/44 M42 (Reinforced); 9/44-5/45 M43 (rigger modified)
Reinforced Knees, elbows, pockets in OD #7. Flag brassard on right shoulder through MARKET-GARDEN. Regt symbols on helmets
Parachute
507
82nd Airborne Division; 17th Airborne Division
7/42
OVERLORD France; transferred to 17th ABN DIV: Belgium, VARSITY Germany
6/44 - 8/44 M42; 9/44-5/45 M43 (rigger modified)
Flag brassard on right shoulder through MARKET-GARDEN.
Parachute
508
82nd Airborne Division
10/42
OVERLORD France, MARKET-GARDEN Holland, Belgium, Germany
6/44 - 8/44 M42; 9/44-5/45 M43 (rigger modified)
Flag brassard on right shoulder through MARKET-GARDEN.
Parachute
509
Independent
11/42
TORCH North Africa, Italy, DRAGOON Southern France, Belgium, Germany
 TORCH M42, Italy M42, Dragoon, M42, Belgium, M42
Some companies had field applied camo of green and black spray-painted stripes on ther M-42 uniform and helmet. Some of the helmets continue to be seen later with non-camouflaged uniforms.
Parachute
511
11th Airborne Division
2/43
Phillipines
M42
Parachute
513
17th Airborne Division
12/42
Belgium, VARSITY Germany
M43 (rigger modified)
Flag brassard on right shoulder for VARSITY
Parachute
515
13th Airborne Division
12/43
No Combat
M43 (rigger modified)
Parachute
517
Independent
11/42
Italy, DRAGOON Southern France, Belgium, Germany
Italy, Primarily camouflage 1 M42; Dragoon Early Mix of 42s and 43a, camouflage 2. Late Dragoon 43s, minority camouflaged. Belgium and beyond wools, 43 jackets, no camouflage.
3 color spray-painted stripe camo on uniform and helmet; base uniform, and irregular sprays of black and green.
Parachute
551
Independent; 13th Airborne Division
11/42
DRAGOON Southern France, Belgium
DRAGOON, M42. Belgium, M43
Parachute
555
Independent
12/43
No Combat
M42

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